Why is the United Kingdom called a democracy?

Question

We can't vote for our Head of State (the Queen), and the Prime Minister holds a position of appointment. We have no legal right to a referendum from petition, unlike some other countries.

I've heard it said that the only time in history when two democracies have been at war was between the U.K. and Finland (when Finland was allied to Germany, after Stalin invaded the Kola Peninsula).

Answer 1

@ Mark G "Referendums are never, EVER, a sensible way to discern the opinion of the people over an issue. They are never, EVER used by the people, or by those who espouse them, as a way to solve problems. They simply abdicate responsibility."

Am I supposed to not question this because of the capital letters? This not simply be a fault of the management of referendums. If a referendum was made a major event and people were encouraged to become informed about the issue then they would vote more responsibly.

As far as a referendum being an abdication of responsibility, it depends whether you think political responsibility lies solely with the people's representative, or whether it remains with the people. Seeing a public vote as an abdication of responsibility by a representative can also be applied to the election of that representative by an electorate in the first place; the people's original decision to elect a representative is in itself an act of abdication. Hence, the people are ultimately politically responsible and returning a vote to the people through a referendum is a kind of restoration of responsibility.

Think of the Iraq war protests - if all that protest had been channeled into a referendum, we wouldn't have gone to war, which was clearly the right decision. But then the arms companies wouldn't have made so much money.

If what we have is democracy, then democracy is a racket.

Answer 2

We are a Kingdom with a democratically elected government.

I am not saying I agree or disagree with the way things are.

Answer 3

Democracy is mob rule, live with it

Answer 4

Democracy = The Illusion of Freedom - To make you feel as though you have some say in what goes on in your country, when in fact you are powerless!

Answer 5

It depends on your definition of democracy.

By the classical definition - rule by the people - all power is in the hands of the public by direct participation in legislative assemblies.  Note, however, that in classical Athenian democracy, this excluded everyone who was a slave, poor, foreign, mad, or female.

What we are, in the strictest definition, is a constitutional monarchical republic.  Constitutional in that the rule of law defines our society, and nobody is above it; monarchical in that the Head of State - the Queen - inherits Her position; and a republic (res publica = public thing) in that the public will as expressed through Parliament makes and breaks government policy.

Now, not even the United States officially embraces classical democracy (though rhetorical nonsense has fooled people into believing they have) - official documents from the foundation of the US to modern times state that the Constitutional Republic which the US declares itself to be is a balance between the tyranny of a dictator and the tyranny of the people - both of which, in the eyes of the Founding Fathers, were terrifying things.  I for one agree with them.

In the UK, it is true we do not elect the Head of State - but this is a good thing, for reasons I will not go into here (it'd take too long).  While the Prime Minister, as you rightly say, is appointed by the monarch, it is also true that for the past two centuries, almost no Prime Minister has come to office without support (or lack of opposition) from the elected representatives of the House of Commons.

So, the UK is a brilliant blend of the will of the people as expressed in the Commons and having exclusive control of the formation of government being tempered by people separate from and immune to public opinion, allowing them to have a more sober and long-term view of things - a separation of powers, if you will, ensuring a tyranny is prevented from coming about.  The Founding Fathers of the United States would be proud.

Now, referendums, in my view, are a constitutional anathema, and should be strongly discouraged, as they simply abdicate the responsibility for addressing difficult and complex issues and pass the buck to the people.  While the people can be sensible (on occasion), it is downright ludicrous to expect 60 million people to be able to make a sensible decision collectively over something immensely complex and delicate.  This is why I oppose a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, as it reduces an issue which has a whole spectrum of problems down to a simple 'yes' or 'no', and, the people being as they are, they will not see the referendum as for or against the Lisbon Treaty, but for or against the EU, or for or against the Government.

Referendums are never, EVER, a sensible way to discern the opinion of the people over an issue.  They are never, EVER used by the people, or by those who espouse them, as a way to solve problems.  They simply abdicate responsibility.

This is why Britain sensibly does not use them as a habit.  Those countries which do are, I'm sorry to say, wrong.

Answer 6

You have your own brand of democracy - it's called a constitutional monarchy.

If you want a different type of democracy, like that which exists in the US, go live in the US.

But the British system has been working longer than that of the US.  Keep that in mind as well.

Answer 7

Are you drunk?

Answer 8

it's lies. we have an elected Oligarchy. and an unelected Head of State.

Answer 9

whats in a name?

we live in great Britain but the great is long gone,

and if our new German and French mouth pieces have their way the Britain bit will soon follow

Answer 10

We are not even a United Kingdom are we?

The Scots don't want to be part of it, nor the Wels/Irish, and the English just want rid of the Tax Burden,

Answer 11

Good question -

See Tony Benn's diaries- - in which he says that those who apply for Party Lists - whether that be Conservative Labour or Liberal - are all vetted by the Security Services - quite an eye opener in our so called democratic society - if true.

Answer 12

Of course we don't live in a democracy..... no-one does.

If voting changed anything they'd abolish it.

What's so great about 'mob-rule' (the literal meaning of democracy) anyway..... I'm all up for a benign dictatorship.... preferably with me as Dictator.... 1st ten to sign up get a minister-ship...